Advocates for life and family in the United States were obviously disappointed to learn that the Obama administration’s policies supporting abortion and the redefinition of marriage around the world will continue for another four years.
But pro-life leaders in Africa are also expressing great concern over how U.S. influence on government leaders and policies in Africa will make protecting the dignity life and the sanctity of the family far more difficult.
“Africans are gradually realizing that some of the most terrible things that are happening to Africa now in terms of defense of life and the protection of the family are being … supported and funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars,” George Wirnkar, a native of Cameroon and Human Life International (HLI) Regional Director of French-speaking Africa, said in a video released by HLI. “It is more and more being known that [President Obama] is also not the blessing people thought he was for Africa.”
One of President Obama’s “accomplishments” over the past four years has been to compile arguably the most radical pro-abortion record of any president in American history. This anti-life record extends well beyond the borders of the United States. American taxpayers spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the president’s first term on abortion promotion efforts through agencies like the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Over $23 million in taxpayer dollars was spent in 2010 just to influence voters in Kenya, the country of President Obama’s paternal heritage, to pass a new constitution that lays the groundwork for a reversal of Kenya’s pro-life laws.
Reflecting on Kenya’s constitutional referendum a year later, HLI Kenya director Father Rafael Wanjohi said President Obama played a major role in ensuring its passage.
“President Obama having roots from Kenya, and even going around to where he comes from, has great influence, a lot of it, on the people,” he said. “And the people feel he’s doing the right thing for [Kenyans], for his ancestors … It influenced a lot. It’s not like somebody else, another president from Great Britain or France or such, but this one having roots in Kenya, they felt he’s really doing the right thing for the country and for the people.”
“It is no secret,” says Wirnkar, “that a lot of laws that are being passed in certain countries like Malawi, or are being pushed in countries like Uganda, or the referendum that liberalized abortion in Kenya, or Rwanda are things that are supported and funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars.”
Reacting to news of President Obama’s re-election, Tanzanian pro-life leader Emil Hagamu, HLI Regional Director of English-speaking Africa, said “sorrowful years are ahead” for pro-lifers in Africa.
“To those of us in Africa, his re-election means more funding for anti-life programs and policies including greater support for contraception and abortion,” said Hagamu.
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“But,” he said, “we should not lose hope. We should continue to fight in defense of the most vulnerable members in our society: the unborn, the sick, the elderly and the disabled.”
